Lindenwood University alumnus Martin Linson has the honor of being the first competitor to have won a gold medal in the 2012 Olympic Games. He was awarded top prize in the International Olympic Committee Art Competition for his sculpture, "Omnipotent Triumph."

The sculpture features an Olympian crossing the finish line in a wheel-chair with arms raised in a victorious pose. The piece took first place in the sculpture category of the fourth annual Olympic Sport and Art Contest prior to advancing to the Olympic competition.

“The sculpture is a tribute to the Paralympic athlete and his amazing strength,” said Linson. “I remember as a wrestler in college going up against a guy with no legs. It was incredible to me because it’s already a mental struggle to be an athlete, and to see para-athletes make the decision to be high-caliber competitors is inspirational. As a modest artist, I wanted to give some respect to those victories.”

“Omnipotent Triumph” is currently on display in London and will remain so for the rest of the 2012 Olympic Games. After that, it will be placed on permanent display at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.